Compacting machine with movable ballast

ABSTRACT

A compacting machine with movable ballast has a plurality of compartments on opposite sides thereof at the front and rear thereof for the reception of the ballast. Each compartment is in volume a multiple of the volume of each individual ingot of the ballast, the dimensions of the compartments in at least two directions being even multiples of at least one dimension of the ingots.

United States Patent 11 1 Domenighetti 1451 Aug. 19, 1975 1 COMPACTINGMACHINE WITH MOVABLE BALLAST [76] Inventor: Domenico Domenighetti, Via

Nosetto 6, Bellinzona, Switzerland, 6500 22 Filed: Oct. 9, 1973 121Appl. No.: 404,810

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 27, 1972 Switzerland15704/72 [52] US. Cl. 404/130 [51] Int. Cl. E01C 19/26 [58] Field ofSearch 404/72, 122, 130; 212/48, 212/49; 280/405 R [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,555,792 6/1951 Farr 212/49 3,291,014 12/1966Paramythioti 404/122 3,559,545 2/1971 Caron 404/130 X 3,636,835 l/l972Reisser 404/130 3,665,822 5/1972 Speer 404/130 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 234,707 7/1961 Australia 404/130 Primary ExaminerRoy D.Frazier Assistant ExaminerRobert W. Gibson, Jr. Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Young & Thompson 57 ABSTRACT A compacting machine with movableballast has a plurality of compartments on opposite sides thereof at thefront and rear thereof for the reception of the ballast. Eachcompartment is in volume a multiple of the volume of each individualingot of the ballast, the dimensions of the compartments in at least twodirections being even multiples of at least one dimension of the ingots.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUGI 91975 COMPACTING MACHINE WITHMOVABLE BALLAST This invention relates to a combined type of compactingmachine with movable ballast.

In a combined type of compacting road roller, that is comprising atowing means provided with tired wheels and a metal cylindrical drum.experimental teachings show the extreme importance of controlling andvarying the load transmitted to the ground by each of the tired wheels,as well as the load transmitted to the ground by each contact generatrixof the metal cylinder.

To this end, the invention is characterized by the use of devices forlongitudinally and transversely shifting the center of gravity of thewhole machine from its rest or inoperative position, said devicescomprising movable ballasts.

The ballasting device is characterized by comprising a plurality ofrectangular base prismatic ingots having a width twice the thicknessthereof and a length, handle included, equal to the cavities, depth,particularly where such cavities are horizontally arranged for receivingthe ingots in a horizontal position.

To this end, it is convenient to use movable ballasts disposed in atleast four seats or housings, preferably adjacent the four corners ofthe machine.

In such housings or seats, the volume of which should be on the wholelarger than the volume of the elements comprising the actual movableballast, said ballast elements can be moved manually, or by other means,most suitably to cause the desired longitudinal and/or trans versedisplacement of the center of gravity of the whole machine.

Particularly, the volume of the cavity for accomodating the solidballast should be a multiple of the unitary ballast element being used.Preferably, the ballast is made as ingots" of a modular volume and atone end carrying a sturdy handle for enabling movements within each ofthe cavities, or also for transferring the ingots from one cavity toanother.

Cavities for ballast ingots can be formed both in a horizontal directionand in a vertical direction, with multiple capacities for said ingots;and in such a case the cavities can accomodate the ingots withoutrequiring internal divisions, the exact capacity of the cavity avoidingrelative movements of the ingots during operation. Cavities can beformed having larger capacities than the maximum overall size of theballast to be introduced; in such a case, the cavity can be divided intochambers or vaults, each of which comprises a seat for a ballastelement; in this case, the immobility of the elements is ensured.

A preferable ballasting for a combined 'type of compacting machineaccording to the present invention is provided with four cavities are,of which two front cavities in the towing means, sidewise positioned atabout 50 cm from the tired axle, and two rear cavities are at theopposite end at about 1 meter from the vibrating axis. such cavitiesbeing closed by doors.

The following detailed description is related to the accompanyingdrawings showing a combined type of road roller, in which the ballastcavities according to the invention have been formed; and moreparticularly:

FIG. I is a side elevational view showing the compacting roller;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational] view;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged views, showing a detail of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2,respectively, relating to the front of the compacting machine; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged views, showing another detail of FIG. 1 andFIG. 2, respectively, relating to the rear of the compacting machine.

The combined type of compacting roller comprises the towing means 4 andthe vibrating compacting roller 5, which are coupled by the articulatedjoint 6. For the ballasting of the towing means 4, the two side cavities7 are provided, symmetrical to the longitudinal axis and closed by thedoors 8, which can be of any preferable design.

Two cavities 9 are also formed at the farthest portion of the compactingroller 5, parallel to the rear wall, vertically covered by the doors 9',also symmetrical to the longitudinal axis of the machine.

The ballast forming ingots 1.0 are substantially regular parallelepipedsand for the handling thereof are provided with a fixed handle 10.

The volume of an ingot 10 is modular, i.e. it occupies in length exactlythe same length as cavities 7, which in this particular embodiment arehorizontally arranged, whereas such a requirement is unnecessary for thevertical cavities 9; moreover, its width is twice the thickness and canbe computed so as to occupy, with a number of ingots, exactly the widthof the cavities, both front and rear.

When considering these features, the ingots can be arranged in thecavities in several manners (FIGS. 1 and 2), always providing the sametotal volume. This is of a great advantage also in the case where someor all of the cavities are to be only partly filled, it being alwayspossible to provide a setting or arrangement which prevents mutualmovements of the ingots when the compacting machine is operating.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 there is shown a cavity 7, the inside of which isdivided into chambers or vaults 11 by the crossing partitions l2, fixedto each other and forming a cell-like space for containing the ingots 10in a de sired number and at positions selected in accordance with theworking requirements. The use of the cell-like space is particularlydesirable when the cavity 7 should contain a limited amount of ingots10, either for keep ing them stationary in their seat, or for locatingthe ballast pressure in a selected zone rather than in another.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 there is shown a cavity 9, for which the sameconsiderations are valid as for cavity 7, even though in this case thepartitions 12 give rise to vaults 11 having two arrangements; the samearrangements in two directions can however be provided also in the firstcase with the same results.

Obviously, the example herein shown and described should not beconsidered in a limiting sense; thus the different constructive featuresboth of the towing means and of the compacting rollers may allow fordifferent positionings of the cavities and different capacities thereof,in some cases it being possible to arrange these cavities also along aninclined plane. Therefore, any change or modification will of coursestill be comprised within the protection field of the present invention.

What I claim is:

l. A compacting machine having cavities at the front and rear thereofand on opposite sides thereof, and prismatic ingots of a very heavymaterial each having rotatable on a bearing axle and a towed drum, saidtowed drum being a vibrating drum that rotates on a horizontal axis,said cavities being disposed in pairs, a forward pair being disposed infront of the bearing axle,

and a rear pair of said cavities being disposed behind the axis of saidvibrating drum.

1. A compacting machine having cavities at the front and rear thereofand on opposite sides thereof, and prismatic ingots of a very heavymaterial each having a gripping handle, there being a plurality of saidingots in at least one of said cavities, said ingots having dimensionsso related to the dimensions of said cavities that said plurality ofingots extend entirely across said at least one cavity in at least onedirection, said compacting machine being of the combined type comprisinga wheeled towing unit having a plurality of tired wheels rotatable on abearing axle aNd a towed drum, said towed drum being a vibrating drumthat rotates on a horizontal axis, said cavities being disposed inpairs, a forward pair being disposed in front of the bearing axle, and arear pair of said cavities being disposed behind the axis of saidvibrating drum.